MIssion: Science Bonding
by Michelle-And-The-Beatle
Summary: The team doesn't think Tony Stark and Bruce Banner spend enough time with each other. They lock them in a lab room for a day in order for them to get closer to one another. They do get closer... physically. Oneshot. Tickling. Fluff. Please Enjoy!


"Let the team meeting commence," Thor's voice rang through the meeting room. He was seated at a round table with the other Avengers, save for Tony and Bruce.

"Anyone have any _good_ ideas?" Steve asked.

"We could make them spar with each other," Clint suggested.

"Bruce doesn't fight when he's not the other guy," Natasha supplied her answer.

"Good point. We could send Tony out for a drink with Bruce."

"Bruce doesn't drink."

"Jesus, he's the problem, isn't he?"

"Just think of a peaceful solution to this," Steve said.

"One would think that the two of them would be the best of friends, considering their mental talents," Thor said, leaning back in his chair.

"I know."

The Avengers noticed over a course of time that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner have grown part from one another. They each get along with the other team members just fine. Since the days of Loki's attack, that was the closest they've ever been to one another. The team was trying to decide on a way to get them to spend more time with one another.

"I've got it," Natasha said. Steve, Clint, and Thor all became excited and leaned closer to the table.

"What's one thing both Bruce and Tony love?"

The men tried to think of something.

"You're kidding me, right? They both love their work. It's the field of science for the both of them."

"How will that help them?" Clint asked.

"You guys amaze me sometimes. We could let them work on a project together. A _long_ and _complicated_ project."

"We should lock them in the same room until they finish it," Clint added with a smirk.

"That's a bit too drastic, Barton," Steve warned.

"Hey, it'll work. I had to do that with six other agents before we went out on a mission together."

"How long did you stay together?"

"I don't know. Until they were ready to use us as a team. But it worked."

"Should we try that then?"

"I think it's worth a try," Natasha said.

"If it will get them closer to each other, I say yay," Thor pounded his fist on the table.

"Okay. 'Mission: Science Bonding' is a go," Clint smirked.

***Two days later***

"Tony, I'd appreciate it if you stay out of my work."

"This is my work too, genius."

Thor, Clint, Steve, and Natasha were shaking their heads, watching Tony and Bruce in a lab-type room they set up for them. Yes, Clint had locked them in there, not telling them. And yes, just in case anything happened, they set up cameras to monitor them.

"This was a bad idea. They're gonna kill each other," Steve said.

"No, they're not," Clint reassured him.

They continued watching the screen, some of them starting to regret this.

"Excuse me, doctor," Tony said as he squeezed past Bruce to get to a computer screen. He pulled the image over to his side of the chamber-like room. The two scientists stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, both working on the fake project for S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Okay, I'm done over here. What else would you like me to do?"

Bruce didn't answer. He seemed too absorbed in his work.

"Banner."

Still no answer.

"Are you seriously ignoring me?"

"What do you want, Tony?" Bruce snapped at him, though not turning away from his test tubes.

"Calm down. No need to get the other guy out. I was just wondering what you wanted me to do."

"Calculate the risk rates."

"Done."

"Oh, umm..."

Tony sighed before saying, "How about I pick something out?"

He didn't wait for a reply from Bruce and began testing things.

"So, Brucie. How've you been?"

"Fine. And you?"

"Pretty great. Been working on some more 'iron men'."

Bruce murmured an answer. Tony looked behind him to not see Bruce at first. When he looked closer, he saw Bruce underneath a huge machine they were supposed to get up and running.

"Whatcha doing down there?" Tony smirked, approaching the lower half of Bruce sticking out from under the machine.

"Cutting frayed wires and replacing them."

"Ah..."

Tony gave up on his portion of work and leaned against the machine to just watch Bruce. He chose to play around with Bruce while he was in this state. The billionaire backed up and strolled casually until he 'accidentally' kicked Bruce in the side.

"Oh, sorry, Banner. Didn't see you down there."

Bruce only held his side in pain for a moment before getting back to work under the machine. Tony frowned, seeing that his plan wasn't working.

He went around to Bruce's legs and stood there. In one quick movement, Tony yanked on Bruce's legs and the man came flying out from under the machine on the skateboard he was lying on. Tony chuckled.

"Knock it off, Tony," Bruce gave the billionaire a strong glare before making his way back under the machine.

"Come on, Banner. Lighten up. You're no fun."

Bruce didn't say another word to Tony. In one last attempt to get the doctor to have some fun, Tony snuck up beside the man under the machine. He kneeled down next to him and squeezed Bruce's exposed side. The doctor flinched and grunted. Tony tried it again, this time full-on tickling that side.

A chain of things happened. Bruce yelped and hit his head on the machine because he jumped from the feeling of Tony's fingers on his side. Then he shot himself out from under the machine to see Tony rolling around on the floor, laughing.

"Can't you see that I'm trying to work?" Bruce sat on the skateboard, rubbing the bump forming on his forehead.

"Y-Yeah... but that's why I did that, Banner," Tony said, recovering from his laughing fit.

"Just stay out of my way."

"How about we find out how much I can make the Hulk laugh?"

Tony grinned deviously as he rose up onto his knees and advanced on Bruce. The doctor attempted to stand up and run, but Tony pounced on him and sent them both to the floor. Tony wrestled with Bruce on the floor, but essentially the doctor ended up on his back, being held down and tickled by the genius billionaire. Bruce fell into a round of light chuckles, which were only stifled because Bruce was doing his best to yell at Tony and squirm in a way that would lessen the effects of the tickling.

"Tonihihy, gehet off! I'm seheherious!"

"Pfft, sure you are, Banner. Explain to me how you're _'serious'_ if you're laughing and smiling. Please, enlighten me."

Tony found a sweet spot when he reached down to squeeze Bruce's kneecap. Bruce's leg kicked out and he screamed.

"Stahp! Tony, stahahap tickling me!"

"Don't think so."

Bruce tried shoving Tony off of him, which worked for a second. The doctor was able to free himself and crawl about a foot before Tony tackled him again, going for the backs of his knees this time.

"This is what I call lightening up, Banner. Didn't know you had it in ya."

"Tony! Go awahahay! Stahahahahahap!" Bruce desperately clawed at Tony's hands to try and get them away from his knees. The scientist ended up curling into a ball, which made Tony chuckle. He poked anywhere he could reach to further annoy Bruce.

Then in one swift motion, Bruce shot his head up and glared Tony. His eyes were a noticeable green. The billionaire squeaked and shot backward off of Bruce, crawling himself away as far as he could until he hit the wall.

Bruce laid down on his back, sprawled out and panting. He was mentally patting himself on the back for concocting up that plan.

"Bruce?"

Hearing his name being called by Tony, Bruce chose to play with Tony for the time being. He, as quietly as he could, stood up and crouched low to the ground. Tony came searching for Bruce. But the doctor was already on the opposite side of the table, purposely avoiding Tony.

The panic in Tony's eyes was growing when he couldn't find his companion.

"Banner."

Tony walked around the large round table in the middle of the room, Bruce deftly avoiding him. The doctor waited where he was until the right time. He shot himself behind the machine they were trying to fix, purposely making noise. Tony gasped and shot around to face where he heard the noise come from.

"Bruce, if that's you, I want you to come out right now."

The doctor had to bite his lip to refrain from laughing at how terrified Tony sounded. Bruce made a low grunting noise and darted the opposite way of Tony, knocking down a stack of papers in the process. Tony once again spun around to follow the noise. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

The playboy billionaire chose to investigate and slowly made his way towards the source of the suspicious actions.

Meanwhile, in the security room, Clint was the one who agreed to stay behind and watch the two science buddies. And boy was he glad he did. He laughed out loud when he heard Tony's terrified squeak of a voice, surprised that Bruce had a sense of humor like this.

Tony was the closest he could get to the long desk, which he presumed was hiding his team mate. Tony took a deep breath before shooting himself around the desk, ready to face whatever was there waiting for him.

"Wha-?"

That was all Tony could manage to say when he found an empty floor in front of him because something had jumped out from behind him and tackled him to the ground. Tony flailed desperately to escape, not realizing that it was Bruce until he opened his eyes and faced him.

"Roar," Bruce teasingly whispered. Tony flopped to the floor on his back, breathing heavily out of pure fear.

"Oh, you _asshole_!"

Bruce, who was still trapping Tony under him, giggled. He grew curious and a strong need for revenge surged over him. Bruce wiggled his fingers into Tony's side, smiling when Tony squeaked and shot his arms to shield the area getting attacked.

"Don't you da-HARE!"

Bruce had managed to get a hand under Tony's arm and was tormenting that spot.

"Bruce! Stahahahahahap it, plehehehease!"

While the doctor's one hand was tickling Tony's underarm, the other was working its way under Tony's shirt to tickle that exposed skin. It was then that Tony did the thing he swore he would never do in his life. He _snorted_. Immediately realizing what he did, the billionaire covered his mouth with his hands, visibly going redder.

Bruce had to pause for a second to calculate what he just heard. When it dawned on him, he couldn't help but laugh.

Clint, back in the security room, was rolling around on the floor laughing.

Tony laid on the floor, frozen where he was. He shoved Bruce off of him and sat with his back to Bruce. Bruce quickly calmed down and crawled over to Tony.

"You okay?"

Tony didn't answer him.

"Hey, come on. Everyone, uh... snorts. It's not a bad thing."

"You laughed at me, Banner," Tony began seriously, then faltered, "I never knew you could laugh."

Bruce grinned at Tony before standing up and helping the billionaire to his feet.

"And Bruce..."

"Yeah?"

"How dare you not finish your work."

Bruce couldn't help but giggle as he chased Tony around the room again.

By the time the day was over, Tony and Bruce were allowed to leave. Clint unlocked their door without the two of them ever realizing that they were trapped in the room originally. He figured they had enough bonding time in the lab that could last them for a while... At least until the next team meeting.

~ The End ~


End file.
